Mike Adams' style in Phillies bullpen causes big headache for hitters

BRADENTON, Fla. — Sometimes it takes a certain perspective to understand what makes an athlete one of the best at what he does. The best way to see how Mike Adams has been the premier set-up reliever of the last five years is from the hitter’s perspective.

The 6-5 right-hander has a long, wiry frame, and when he finishes his silent stare at the catcher for instructions the deception begins. He starts with his hands set high, and they stay there as his long leg kick begins. He stretches back with his pitching arm, the leg stride is long, and still it seems like his lower half is ahead of his arm. Then, with a lightning-quick and seamless torque of his hips he uncorks the pitch — a fastball in the mid-90 mph range, a slider in the upper 80s — and the ball seems to go from behind his head to out of his torso magically.

It might be why his career numbers against left-handers are as good as, and in some ways even better than, those against right-handed hitters.

“Not only does he have good stuff,” said Chase Utley, who is 1-for-3 for his career off Adams, “but his delivery throws you off a little bit. When you combine those two, it’s even tougher.”

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For his career, Adams has faced just five more left-handed hitters (736) than right (731), and the averages for both sides (.203 RHH, .211 LHH) are nearly identical. The only major difference is that he has given up half the number of homers to lefties (nine) than righties (18) — the opposite of what one would expect.

Where Adams’ consistently baffling skills play the biggest is when he faces batters in the heart of the order. While most pitchers naturally struggle against the best hitters in the Nos. 3-5 spots, his numbers are oddly consistent against every spot in a batting order. No. 3 hitters have batted .205 against him lifetime; cleanup hitters are at .183; No. 5 batters sit at .199.

“He locates well, has a great slider,” the left-handed-hitting Utley said. “Usually a slider isn’t as effective against left-handers, but for some reason his is tough.”

Although it wasn’t until Adams was nearly 30 before he found his niche. During a 54-day stretch in 2006 he was traded, waived and traded again, making him the property of four organizations in two months. The next season he encountered knee problems so diabolical that he didn’t throw a pitch in 2007. Yet when he looks back at the pitcher he was then and is now, there weren’t any earth-shaking changes that led to his overwhelming success.

“It’s just the way I throw,” Adams said of his mechanics. “I didn’t try to manipulate it, I just go with what feels right. As far as there being a lot going on with my delivery, that’s why I want the repetition down here. Whenever you have a lot going on, it can be a little difficult to repeat them. I’m trying to find a rhythm and repeat it pitch after pitch.”

Amazingly, he has continued to be one of the best relievers in the game the last five seasons even though the injury bug has lingered. He needed shoulder surgery that cost him the first two months of 2009. Prior to the 2012 season he had a hernia fixed. This spring, Adams is coming off a surgery that required the removal of his first rib to relieve thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that caused him pain, weakness and numbness in his throwing arm. Despite the season-long discomfort he went 5-3 with a 3.27 ERA — numbers most relievers would gladly take.

The Phillies were prepared to have the veteran be a little behind the rest of the pitchers at the start of training camp, but that has not been the case. He entered the Phillies’ 5-0 win over the Pirates Monday in the fourth inning to face the heart of Pittsburgh’s batting order and made it look easy, getting lazy, opposite-field flyouts from Alex Presley and Gaby Sanchez, with a strikeout looking to Travis Snider sandwiched between.

Not only is Adams not behind, he might be more game-ready than any other pitcher in camp.

“I feel good,” Adams said. “Everything has come along the way I expected and hoped. I’m just trying to carry this through the rest of the month,” … then into the season, a headache to lefties, righties, sluggers, slap hitters, veterans, rookies, from April to October. Indiscriminately baffling. That is how Mike Adams delivers the bad news to hitters.